How do i create a search box type app in the Tasbar (Not system tray)

I think my previous post was a little unclear. I am trying to find out how to get a search type box into the taskbar in the first instance and will worry about linking it to the meridian app at a later stage.

Thanks in advance,
Gareth.

Maybe these links wil help. After following the links, you'd have the ability to create a Desktop toolbar ( which could be customised according to your needs; ie. location of the bar, and controls on the bar )

How to develop a Toolbar in VB that's to be shown in WinXP Taskbar? (http://www.dev-archive.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397305&highlight=desktop+toolbar)

Desktop Toolbar (http://www.dev-archive.com/forum/showthread.php?t=363138&highlight=desktop+toolbar)

Hey Gareth!

You would need to set a Reference. to the dll.

OK, follow these steps :
Start a new Visual Basic 6 project.
Select Project, References...
Click Browse in the displayed dialog box
Then, you locate the file named AppBar.dll and select it
Once selected, it should show in the References list, click OK
Once that is done, you can use & reference the functionalities of that dll in your program, and you shouldn't get errors :)

Try this Gareth :
Dim tc As New TCAppBar

Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim cx As Long
Dim cy As Long
Dim RetVal As Long

tc.AlwaysOnTop = False 'always on top like taskbar
tc.AllowFloat = True 'can be moved around
tc.AutoHide = False 'autohide like taskbar
tc.SlideEffect = True 'slide
tc.ConformWithTaskBar = True

tc.MaxHeight = 250
tc.MinHeight = 50
tc.Attach Me.hwnd 'attach form to it, meaning, this form is now the taskbar at the top
tc.EDGE = ABE_BOTTOM 'At bottom straight away

Me.Height = tc.MaxHeight

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
tc.Detach
Set tc = Nothing
End Sub

Private Sub Command1_Click()
MsgBox "Test"
End Sub

This will allow you to place this "toolbar" on any edge of the screen ( that might be the ultimate result ).

If this doesn't work completely, then, I think there might be another option ( which I'm not totally happy with :) ). That is to use the SetWindowPos API to just show the form as part of the taskbar's coords. The problem with that, is that it won't actually be part of the taskbar :(

This is how all the ones i have seen look so i am not really sure.

If you do the overlay onto the taskbar co-ords, will the open programs shown in the taskbar end up underneath it or will the bunch up like normal?

Thanks,
Gareth.

Hi mate,

I appreciate your help with this. I have now recieved my book so have started working my way through (The first 1/4 i seem to already know so perhaps its familirity with other languages and the windows environment) and thus dont need this feature yesterday so if / when you come up with something just let me know.

Thanks,
Gareth.

Hi Gareth! :)
OK, the idea of having a textbox on the Titlebar sadly didn't work
I've been researching Deskbands with VB 6 for quite some time now, but sadly couldn't find a decent way of creating a deskband application ( such as Media player ).
I did figure out how to place a window anywhere on the screen, meaning, even over the taskbar ( and that it didn't hide under the taskbar ) :
Option Explicit

Private Declare Function SetWindowPos& Lib "user32" (ByVal Hwnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal cx As Long, ByVal cy As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long)

Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1
Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2

Private Const SW_SHOWNORMAL As Long = 1

Private Sub Form_Load()
StayOnTop Me
End Sub

Public Sub StayOnTop(frm As Form)
SetWindowPos frm.Hwnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE
End Sub
I'm still working on this, but, I should say that I'm not getting anywhere quickly :(
Otherwise, we must try to just place this form over the taskbar, group the taskbar buttons, and take it from there

MSDN talks about that.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa969320.aspx

Also this book is useful if u are trying to make it in VB.
http://www.isbnonline.com/VB-Shell-Programming/book/9781565926707/

Coz MSDN example is in C++, its better to create ActiveX control with VC++ and use it in VB.
Good links!
I did come across them too, after weeks and weeks of doing research on this matter, I basically came to the same conclusion. Yes, I know VC++ quite good, but not that good :(
I did ask a question in the Visual c++ forum, so I hope those geniuses there can help us.

Sorry Gareth, I tried my best for you mate, I just hope you're not as disappointed as I :)

Hi Mate,

Not had chance to check this thread for a while and tbh was suprised to see that you were still trying to find a solution for me. I appreciate all your help with this as i certainly have not got a clue what your talking about in the C++ thread and would not have got anywhere with it.

Thanks again,
Gareth.

Something like this?

http://www.dqsd.net/

Well, I saw add-ins for IE that adds the searchbar in the taskbarl.
You'd have to worry about each os as well.

Im still not having any joy finding a solution with this so if anyone has any fresh ideas i would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Gareth.